Fortum and the municipality of Virolahti are starting to develop an 80-megawatt industrial-scale solar power project in the Yläpää and Uusitalo areas in Virolahti. The project area is about 160 hectares. The Virolahti project is Fortum's first solar power development project in Finland. In line with its strategy, Fortum is aiming for growth in solar power in the Nordic countries.
The Virolahti Municipal Board will decide on the launch of the zoning process at its meeting on 26.6.2023. During the development process, the zoning plan will be made available for public consultation, giving all local residents the opportunity to express their views. The development phase of a solar power project in Finland typically takes about 1-2 years, including environmental assessments and zoning. This is followed by an application for a building permit and a possible investment decision. On an industrial scale, the construction phase of a solar farm takes about a year.
"At Virolahti, we are naturally delighted that our region is seen as a potential investment location. The solar power project, if realised, will naturally support the green transition and is part of sustainable development, which is important to us in Virolahti. We have strong confidence in Fortum as a partner and believe that the area would be well maintained throughout the life cycle of the solar power plant", says Otto Koskela, Mayor of Virolahti.
Fortum's solar power business is based on local presence and covers the entire value chain from project design and construction to electricity sales and site restoration.
"This project is a great start for us in solar power in Finland and we are happy that it has strong local support. We are developing the project in close cooperation with the landowners and the municipality of Virolahti. We see a lot of potential for solar power in the Nordic countries. There is a strong demand for renewable wind and solar power, which will grow even more as industry decarbonises and the demand for hydrogen increases," says Mikko Iso-Tryykäri, Head of Wind and Solar Project Development at Fortum.
More information:
Fortum Newsdesk, +358 40 198 2843, newsdesk [at] fortum [dot] com